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14 Feb 2018

BirdLife and CEMEX celebrate ten years of conservation - with more to come!

A global conservation charity and a building materials company? Some people might call it an unlikely match, but after ten highly successful years of conservation action across the world, we’ve cemented the bond by renewing our partnership for another three years.

BirdLife and CEMEX share a common vision: to make sure that business develops in an environmentally sustainable way. Because incorporating conservation into a company’s daily operations isn’t just good for the planet: it also makes good business sense. That’s why the building materials company CEMEX announced today that it would be renewing its partnership with BirdLife International, following 10 years of game-changing conservation action across the globe.

“For ten years, BirdLife International has been key in helping us protect the biodiversity that surrounds our operations, and in creating environmental conditions similar to or better than those that were present at the beginning of our quarries’ life cycles,” said Jesus Gonzalez, Executive Vice President of Sustainability and Operations Development in CEMEX. “With many success stories behind us, we believe that by partnering with organizations such as BirdLife we are truly delivering our commitment to build a better future for generations to enjoy.”

In the UK, a massive 1,000 hectares of priority habitat have been restored

Over the next three years, CEMEX and BirdLife will be striving towards an ambitious goal. By 2020, our vision is that every working CEMEX quarry that falls within an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) will execute a Biodiversity Action Plan. Biodiversity Action Plans are frameworks which we use to identify species with a high conservation priority that live within – or could be affected by – a quarry site. We then set about protecting and enhancing conditions for these species.

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And we’re well on the way – to date, Biodiversity Action Plans have been put into motion at 69% of CEMEX’s active quarries in IBAs. They span across the UK, Spain, France, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Colombia and the Czech Republic.

And they have already begun to have a positive effect upon the resident wildlife. Mexico’s national bird, the Golden Eagle, is benefiting from invigorated community awareness and a higher-quality habitat in which to hunt and breed. In the UK, a massive 1,000 hectares of priority habitat have been restored, benefiting both wildlife and local people. And in the Dominican Republic, the Rhinoceros Iguana and the Hispaniolan Slider Turtle (both listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List) are receiving first-class treatment through the Las Salinas biodiversity action plan.

"Our partnership demonstrates the strong positive impact we can have for nature when conservation NGOs and businesses work together"

Patricia Zurita, CEO of BirdLife International, said: “Our global partnership with CEMEX demonstrates the strong positive impact we can have for nature when conservation NGOs and businesses work together. We are delighted to be able to continue our joint efforts with CEMEX to conserve high priority species and enhance biodiversity management in Key Biodiversity Areas –sites of global importance for nature. We look forward to at least three more years of successful collaboration.”

Read the full press release below:

Monterrey, mexico. february [14], 2018 – CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. (“CEMEX”) (NYSE: CX) announced today the renewal of its partnership with BirdLife International (BirdLife), the world’s largest nature conservation partnership. Following 10 years of conservation action across several continents, CEMEX and BirdLife’s three-year renewal of their global partnership expects to achieve their goal of implementing Biodiversity Action Plans across the totality of CEMEX’s active quarries in high biodiversity value areas by 2020, continuing their efforts to achieve environmentally sustainable development.

Throughout the past 10 years, this global alliance has built from the foundation of an in-depth scoping study to the launch of CEMEX-Birdlife Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Standard—a framework for identifying, protecting, and enhancing biodiversity—now being implemented in 69% of CEMEX’s active quarries in high biodiversity value areas as of 2017. The results of the alliance’s national collaborations in Colombia, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, France, Mexico, Spain, the UK, and other CEMEX operations have been widely recognized by organizations such as the European Aggregates Association, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Cement Sustainability Initiative, the European Union Natura 2000 awards, the Mineral Products Association, and the Wildlife Habitat Council.

CEMEX and BirdLife’s joint efforts have significantly improved the biodiversity of CEMEX’s quarries, such as its Cerrito Blanco Quarry in northwestern Mexico. As a result of this BAP’s implementation, Mexico’s national bird, the Golden Eagle, is benefiting from a focused conservation effort, including enhancing habitat quality. Other highlights include the restoration of 1,000 hectares of priority habitat in the UK, the sector-leading conservation of highly threatened reptiles through the Las Salinas BAP in the Dominican Republic, and the preservation of two Alliance for Zero Extinction species (AZE) as a result of the La Nacuma BAP in Colombia.

“For 10 years, BirdLife International has been instrumental in helping us to protect the biodiversity that surrounds our operations and in creating environmental conditions similar to or better than those that were present at the beginning of our quarries’ life cycles,” said Jesus Gonzalez, CEMEX Executive Vice President of Sustainability and Operations Development. “With many success stories behind us, we believe that, by partnering with organizations such as BirdLife, we are truly delivering on our commitment to build a better future for generations to enjoy.”

Patricia Zurita, CEO of BirdLife International, said, “Our global partnership with CEMEX demonstrates the strong positive impact we can have for nature when conservation NGOs and businesses work together. We are delighted to be able to continue our joint efforts with CEMEX to conserve high priority species and enhance biodiversity management in Key Biodiversity Areas —sites of global importance for nature. We look forward to at least three more years of successful collaboration.”

Recognized as a world leader in bird and nature conservation, BirdLife International is a global partnership of grassroots conservation organizations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources. As the world’s largest Nature Conservation partnership, BirdLife International has more than 10 million members and supporters.

CEMEX is a global building materials company that provides high-quality products and reliable services to customers and communities in more than 50 countries. CEMEX has a rich history of improving the well-being of those it serves through innovative building solutions, efficiency advancements, and efforts to promote a sustainable future. For more information, please visit: www.cemex.com

CEMEX assumes no obligation to update or correct the information contained in this press release.CEMEX is not responsible for the content of any third-party website or webpage referenced to or accessible through this press release.